Home Remodeling

Your Omaha Remodeling Contractor!

If you own a home, no matter what its age, sooner or later you may join the millions of people who remodel their homes each year. Perhaps it was that moment when you realized that avocado green and harvest gold are no longer the “in” colors for today’s trendy kitchens. Or maybe you had an epiphany one day as you stood in line to use your own bathroom. Whatever the impetus, the thought has crossed your mind: Maybe it’s time to remodel. The reasons for remodeling are as varied as the projects we undertake. Some of these include:

Adding more space
Upgrading cabinets, counters, appliances, and fixtures. Creating a floor plan that’s customized for your lifestyle
Improving energy efficiency with new windows, doors, insulation, and climate control systems
Increasing the resale value of your home

Where to Begin

The first step is to develop an idea of what you want to do. Write a prioritized list of your needs and wants. Look at magazines and Web sites and collect pictures of what you like. The more clearly you can envision the project and describe it on paper, the better prepared you’ll be in making your decision.

Think about traffic patterns, furniture size and placement, colors, lighting and how you expect to use the remodeled space. If your decision to remodel involves creating better access for someone with limited mobility, you may want to consider contacting a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist.

Choose Your Options

Once you have created a list of what you would like out of your home, the next step is deciding how to accomplish your vision.

Hire a Professional. The best way to ensure your home dreams become reality is through the work of a professional. These remodelers are of the highest integrity and standards in the industry.

Why Hire a Professional?

If you are considering a remodeling project, the most important decision you can make is selecting a professional remodeler to do the job. Your home is too important to entrust to anyone but a professional who can:

Save you money by doing your job right the first time.
Ensure that your dreams are accurately translated into reality by offering design services in-house or through an arrangement with a professional architect or designer.
Understand that your comfort during the project and its successful completion depend on effective communication and follow-through.
Maintain a safe and neat jobsite to prevent damage to your home or injury to household members and pets.
Provide the best possible materials within your budget and assist you in making selections through the vendors they work with.
Ensure that your job meets or exceeds applicable building codes and regulations.
Guarantee the quality of their work with a warranty.
Respond promptly to service calls and inquiries.

Can you do it yourself?

A DIY project is both rewarding and cost-effective. However, more than 30% of all jobs remodelers perform come from failed do-it-yourselfers.

Do-it-yourself (DIY) projects have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years on the heels of Martha Stewart Living, HGTV, and other popular home improvement shows and publications. And, for certain small projects, a DIY project can be rewarding and fun – if you are prepared and have the proper skills.

But before you start knocking down walls and taking out wiring, ask yourself the following questions:

Do you have a clear idea of what you want your project to look like?
Do you have the time to complete this project (be realistic!)?
Have you ever undertaken a project like this before?
Do you know everything you will need (materials, tools, etc.) to complete the project?
Are you familiar with the applicable building codes and permits?
Do you enjoy physical labor?
Do you have all the tools you will need?
Do you have the necessary skills for this project?
If not, do you have the time and resources to learn these skills?
Where will you obtain the necessary materials?
If you cannot complete the project according to your original schedule, are you (and your family) prepared to handle the resulting inconvenience?
Will you need assistance with this project? If so, who will assist you? Do they have the time and skills required for this project?
Do you understand all the safety issues associated with this project?
Are you familiar with the architecture and structural makeup of your home (i.e., how knocking down one wall will affect the rest of the structure)?
Have you considered the hidden costs associated with doing it yourself – time, tools, and the possibility that you may actually decrease the value of your house if the result isn’t up to professional standards?

It is easy to look at the cost of hiring a professional remodeler and think only of labor and materials. But remember that a professional remodeler offers you an important service – years of experience, the right tools, a network of suppliers and subcontractors, and an in-depth understanding of legal regulations, cost estimating, scheduling, and the latest construction techniques.

One option that Omaha Remodeling Associates offers all of our customers on all projects is to complete the tasks that you are comfortable with, while Omaha Remodeling Associates skilled craftsmen complete the tasks that you are not comfortable with. Although Omaha Remodeling Associates offers a turn key construction project where we take you from design phase to completion and beyond, this option can help keep your project within budget.

(Source: nahb.org)

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